Shropshire MPs' column - the latest from the county's representatives in Westminster

December has come around, and South Shropshire’s beautiful scenery looks better than ever in the morning frost. As Christmas approaches, I am continuing my work in Parliament and across the constituency, whilst also reflecting on the past year. I have been privileged to meet with hundreds of constituents at surgeries and Meet the MP events, whilst my team and I have responded to more than 8,500 individual casework enquiries so far in 2025. I look forward to continuing this work in the weeks ahead.

As many of you will know, my Shop Local Survey has made its way around South Shropshire over the last few months. I am thrilled to say that 1,920 responses were received to my wider survey, showcasing the most prized elements of our towns whilst also providing me with valuable insights into what can be done to improve them going forward. Now that the results are in from all over the constituency, I look forward to working with residents to save our high streets.

More recently, I have been busy campaigning to save South Shropshire’s post offices. Post office branches provide vital services across the constituency, including in Acton Burnell, Alveley, Aston on Clun, Broseley, and Bishop's Castle. What’s more, with access to cash and everyday banking services becoming more difficult, it is more important than ever to protect rural post offices. As such, I have renewed my campaign against the Government’s proposals to close up to half of our post offices, reduce the three-mile radius, and cut the availability of outreach services.

Especially at this time of year, our churches play a central role in our communities. Religious or non-religious, I know that residents treasure these time-honoured buildings which are dotted all over South Shropshire. As such, I was concerned to learn that Historic England's latest Heritage at Risk Register reveals that almost a thousand churches are in need of urgent repair and conservation work. So, I have urged the Chancellor to scrap the cap on the Listed Places of Worship Grants Scheme which, since 2010, has funded conservation projects that keep our historic churches open. 

Finally, people from all over the world come to visit Shropshire, and it is easy to understand why. As a result of this, the county is home to more than two thousand holiday lets that could soon face punitive bills of up to £15,000 per cottage under plans set to be unveiled by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were originally intended to tackle fuel poverty for long term tenants, but this hasn’t stopped the Government from trying to apply a minimum rating of EPC C to holiday lets that primarily deal with short-term visitors. Many of my constituents have contacted me with their concerns about this, so I have urged the Energy Secretary to urgently reconsider his proposal.

I wish everyone in South Shropshire a Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy the many festivities which the constituency has to offer over the Christmas period.